Calculating machine



Feb. 8, 1938. w. J. PASINSKI CALCULATING MAbHINE Filed July 29, 1936 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT R II aHer-J Ruins i v A ORNEYS Feb. 8, 1938. i w J p s'ms 2,107,582

CALCULAT ING MACHINE INVENTOR ATT'ORNEYs Ylaltarl "Pafinsin' Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED *STATES CALCULATING MACHINE Walter J. Pasinski Howell, Mich, assignor to Burroughs Adding Machine Company, Detroit,

011., a corporation of Michigan Application my 29, 1936, Serial No. 93,129

11 Claims.

This invention relates to cash registers, and more particularly to a key coupler and pre-set mechanism for a cash register of such construction as to provide a machine with a flexible keyboard.

The invention is an improvement applicable to the standard Burroughs cash register machine of the type illustrated by my copending applications, Serial Nos. 689,656 and 689,657, filed September 15, 1933, now Patents Nos. 2,070,059 and 2,070,060,

respectively, issued February 9,.193'7. To correct an error in one order of the amount indexed on the keyboard in a machine embodying the preset mechanism and key coupler therein disclosed,

it is normally necessary to depress the pre-set key to release the depressed keys of all orders from pre-set position. Thus, if the No. 6 key 0! the cents order had been depressed by mistake so that the amount indexed on the keyboard was $1.26 instead of the desired amount $1.25, it was necessary to release the depressed keys of the hundreds and tens orders along with the cents order by rapidly depressing the pre-set key. This meant an additionaloperation of the pre-set key 35 to release the keys and also re-indexing the amount in each order on the keyboard.

With a machine of the above type, if the error was noted when the machine was pre-set, a skillful operator could slowly manipulate the prem set key in order to slowly raise the key coupler to release in the order named the cents key, then the tens key and finally the hundreds key. This, however, was ,a slow and diflicult method'of correcting errors made in. indexing the 5 keyboard and, obviously, was not adapted to general commercial use when rapid manipulation of the machine is necessary.

Therefore, it is an object of my invention to provide a cash register having a flexible keyboard. 0 It is another object of my invention to provide an improved cash register in which an error in the amount set up on the keyboard may be cor rected with maximum speed and minimum operation. 5 It is a further object of my invention to provide a cash register in which an incorrect amount set up on the key-board may be corrected merely by the depression of the correct key in the orders where the errors are made without depression or manipulation of additional keys.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a right side sectional elevation of my improved cash register illustrating only the essential parts thereof;

Fig. 2 is a front detail view of a number of the key lock levers or pendants as modified for application to my present invention; 5

Fig. 3 is a' perspective view from the right side of the machine showing the pre-set key, the paid out key, the dollar ke .the twenty cent key in depressed position, and the five .cent key in normail position; 4

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the pre-set bail; and

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4 showing the manner of releasing the-incorrect key upon depression of the correct key of the same order. 15

The illustrated cash register is known as a key-operated cash register. and the mechanism is preferably mounted and carried between right and left side plates III which support the entire mechanism and are maintained in spaced relation '20 by tubular members (not shown). and the various shafts of the cash register mechanism. The mechanism includes a plurality of rows of depressible key levers I I of the necessary denominations "and numbers in each denomination, although for convenience and greater clarity of description only a single key lever of each denomination or order has been illustrated in the drawings. The key levers are journaled on. a cross shaft 12 secured to the end plates l0 and are urged clockwise about shaft I! by springs l3, the upward movement of the key levers being limited by acomb plate l4. Each key lever has a rearwardly and upwardly extending arm l6 which engages a hollow cross shaft I! carried at each end by one arm of a full stroke lever l8 journaled on shaft l2 adjacent each end thereof. Levers l8 have forwardly extending horizontal arms Is to which are secured tension springs 20 which urge the full stroke levers I 8 in a. clock- 40 wise direction. 'Shaft l1 extends through slots v2i! in the side plates ID, the slots limiting the rocking movement of shaft l 'l and levers I 8 which constitute a universal bail. The full -stroke levers I8 terminate at their upper endsin sectors 23 engaged by pawls 24 which insure a full stroke being. made each time levers iii are rocked by the keys H. The" upper end of each key lever arm It has .a differential cam slot 25 therein, which differentially actuates the register (not shown) and" the indicating mechanisms 25' shown and described'in detail in my aforesaid co-pending applications. Shaft I! also supports for bodily movement therewith a key coupler 26 freely pivoted thereon by springs 29, the stud 28 serving to hold the key coupler 26 in inoperative or non-coupling position. Upon partial depression of any'key, the

forward'movement of shaft l1 carrying with it coupler 26 permits clockwise rotation of the coupler about its pivot by springs 29 to move its depending lip 30 into the path of movement of projections 32 extending from each of the arms l6 of the key levers il whereby the keys maybe coupled or latched to the key coupler 26. Upon further depression of any one key, all the latched keys are carried downwardly because of the bodily movement of the coupler 26 with the depressed keys. The foregoing mechanism is made the subject of my prior Patents Nos. 2,070,059 and 2,070,060, issued February 9, 1937 to which reference is made for further details.

The machine also embodies a pre-set mecha-- nism which comprises a key lever 33 pivoted to the left side plate I!) at 34 and urged in a clockwise direction by a tension spring 35. A forwardly extending arm of the pre-set key lever has an auxiliary or extension lever 33 detachably secured thereto providing for the removal of the lever 33 to facilitate the removal of the case of the machine without requiring removal of the key lever 33. Formed in the downwardly ex-' tending arm 33 of pre-set lever 33 is an inverted L-shaped cam slot 36 (Fig, l) in which rides a stud 31 carried by theforwardly extending arm IQ of the left full stroke lever. As the pre-set key is depressed, the pre set key lever 33 is.

rocked counterclockwise, stud 31 is moved downwardly and rocks the full stroke lever i6 counterclockwise or forward to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 and causes the pawl 24 to lodge in the first notch of the sector 23. Theupper finger 21 moving counterclockwise with the lever I8 is disengaged from the stud 26, thus allowing the spring 29 to move the key coupler in a clockwise direction into coupling position, i. e., into the path of the projections 32 of the key levers Ii. The above operation places the machine in pre-set position and the amount keys can then be partially depressed and latched. to the key coupler.

In setting up or indexing the keyboard, provision is made for locking each denomination of keys; that is, the cents keys,the dimes keys, the dollars keys, and the character keys as groups to the coupler 26. For this purpose, rear depending lip 30 of the coupler is formed with stepped sections as at 3| (Fig. 3), the sections being successively of greater height from the cents keys to the character keys. In indexing the keyboard when the machine is in pre-set position, it is necessary to depress the highest desired denomination first and the lowest last because, if the keys of higher orders were depressed last, the coupler 26 is raised sufficiently to release each lower order key because the portion of the lip for the cents order is not as great as that for the higher orders.

The lower rear portion of the coupler lip 30 is chamfered or beveled as at 30* (Figs. 4 and 5) so that when the keys H are depressed and the projections 32' of the key levers II are moved forwardly into engagement with the key coupler lip, the coupler will be rocked upwardly against the urge of spring 29 by contact of theprojections 32 with the beveled edge 30 to allow the projections 32 to move forwardly under the lip 30, aiter which the coupler will drop rearwardly of the projections and latch the depressed keys in preset position.

tion by the key coupler 26 and a second or corrected key of the same order is partially depressed, the coupler 26 may be raised sufliciently to permit the second key lever to pass under the coupler lip 30 and be latched thereby without allowing sufficient time for the first depressed key to be restored to normal position. Thus, the second key could be depressed to cause the coupler 26 to be raised and lowered before the first key of the same order could move rearwardly from its last pre-set position under the coupler 26 with the result'that two keys of the same order may become latched to the key coupler.

To overcome the above difiiculty, applicant has devised means by which the first depressed incorrect key may be partially restored to normal position before the second key of the same order has raised the key coupler 26 the required distance to permit its projection 32 to pass under the coupler 26 and become latched thereto. Referring to Fig. 4, the lower front portion of the depending lip 36 of the key coupler is chamfered or cut away as at 30 at the angle indicated by the dot and dash lines A-A. The path of travel of the key projection 32 is indicated by the line BB. Therefore, as viewed in Fig. 5, when the second key is being depressed and the projection 32 of the second key is still raising the coupler 26, the projection 32 of the first key moves rearwardly under the lip 30. When the second key is depressed sumciently so as to allow the projection 32 to pass to pre-set position under lip 30, the projection 32 of the first key will have had sufflcient time to move from under the coupler to normal position. Thus, restoration of the first depressed key before the coupler 26 latches a second key in position is insured.

Provision is made to prevent overthrow of the full stroke sectors when the machine is placed in pre-set position and to'limit the movement of the pawl 24 to the first notch of the sector 23.

When the pre-set key is fully depressed, the stud 31 enters in a notch 36 formed in the forward end of the horizontal portion of the cam slot 36 and overthrow of the full stroke sectors is there by prevented. After depression of the pre-set key, it is held in the depressed position by engagement of an upstanding arm 33 forming one side of the cam slot 36 of the pre-set key with the stud 31, the latter being held exterior of the vertical portion of the cam slot 36". If the machine is given a stroke of operation following depression of the pre-set key, the stud 31 moves downwardly along the edge of the arm 38 exterior of the cam slot 36 retaining the pre-set key in depressed position until the end of the return stroke, at which time the stud 31 is restored to the horizontal portion of the cam slot 36. When the machine is given a stroke of operation without first depressing the pre-set key, stud 31 moves up and down in the vertical portion of the cam slot 36 and depression of the pre-set key during machine operation is prevented.

. Means are provided to lock the paid out key against depression until the pre-set key has conditioned the machine to pre-set position. As

. shown in Fig.v 1, a latch 40 pivotally carried by the pre-set lever when the pre-set lever and the I set position.

paid out lever are in normal position. A tension spring 42 urges the latch 40 in a clockwise direction into latching engagement with the stud ll,

and its movement is limited by the engagement of stud 39 with an arm 40* of the latch 40. After the pre-set lever '33 is depressed and rocked counterclockwise, stud I is moved rearwardly out of engagement with the notched end 40, and

operation of the paid out key is permitted in the a usual manner.

In the machine disclosed in applicants heretofore mentioned co-pending applications, only one key of a single denomination or order could be partially depressed at a time. This was ac complished by well-known pendant interlocks 45. However, referring to Fig. 2 of applicants drawings, it will be noted that the cam edges- N 01' the key locks have been cut away at the upper ends to permit limited depression of..a second key of the same order to pre-set condition. Thus, a second key in any order can be depressed to pre-set position and as a second key of any order is-so depressed, the key coupler, is raised bythe projection 32 of the second key and the first depressed key of the same order and the keys of'all lower orders are simultaneously released to normal position. This pennits depression of a second key in an order and prevents latching of two keys of the same order in preset position.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the machine is apparent. The pre-set key lever may first be depressed to place the machine in pre-set position and, if the desired amount to be indexed on the keyboard is $1.25, the dollar key is first depressed to pre-set position followed by the twenty key next and the five key last, after which any one of these keys may be fully depressed to complete the entry. Should the operator inadvertently depress the six key of the units order to pre-set position so that the entry if completed would head $1.26 on the indicator instead of $1.25, the error may be easily corrected. In this instance, it is necessary merely to depress the five key of the units order. This releases the six key from pre-set position and the live key is latched in pre-set position. It the error is made in the tens order so that the amount $1.35 was indexed instead of $1.25, de-

pression of the correct twenty key of the tens order would release the incorrect thirty key to normal position and latch the twenty key in pre- In correcting this error, the key of the lower order, namely, the five key of the units order would be automatically released and so must be redepressed to pre-set position. However, the keys of the higher orders remain undisturbed by any manipulation of the keys of the lower orders.

Although the foregoing description has set forth one form of flexible keyboard device, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: 2 s

1. In a cash register, a plurality of depressible keys of the desired denominations, and a key coupier having coupling portions adapted to latch said keys thereto upon partial depression of said keys, said coupling portions being so constructed and arranged that keys of denominations of other than those previously latched to said coupler may be latched thereto, said coupling portions also being so constructed and arranged that a previously depressed key of one denomination may be released by partial depression of a second key of the same denomination to latching position with said coupling portions.

2. In a cash register, a plurality of depressible keys of the desired denominations, and a key coupler normally held out of engageable position with said keys and being releasable upon partial depression of said keys to engageable position with said keys, said coupler being capable of limited movement when in engageable position and having coupling portions so. constructed and arranged that keys of denominations other than those previously engaged may be engaged while said coupler is in engageable position and said coupling portions also being so constructed and arranged that a previously depressed key of one denomination may be released by partial depression of a second key of the same denomination to engageable position with the key coupling portions.

3. In a key-operated cash register, a pluraiity of depressible keys of the desired denominations adapted to be partially depressed to preset position and fully depressed to operate said cash register, and a single unitary key coupler normally held out of engageable position with said keys and being releasable upon partial depression of said keys to engageable position with all of said keys, said coupler being capable of limited movement when in engageable position and having coupling portions so constructed and arranged that keys of denominations other than those previously engaged may be engaged while said coupler is in engageable position and said coupling portions also being so constructed and arranged that a'previously depressed key of one denomination may be released by partial depression of a second key of the same denomination topler may be latched thereto, said coupling portions also being so constructed and arranged that a previously depressed key of one denomination may be released by partial depression of a second key of the same denomination to latching position with said coupling portions.

5. In a key-operated cash register, a plurality of depressible pivoted keys of the desireddenominations, pendant interlocks arranged to permit limited partial depression and prevent full depression of a plurality of keys in the same denomination, and a single unitary key coupler normally held out of engageable position with said keys and being releasable upon partial depression of said keys to engageable position with all of said keys, said coupler being capable of limited movement when in engageable position and having coupling portions so constructed and arranged that keys of denominations other than those previously depressed may be engaged while said coupler is in engageable position, said coupling portions also being so constructed and arranged that a previously depressed key may be released by partial depression of a second key to engageable position with the key coupling portions prior to coupling of said second key.

6. In a cash register, a plurality of depressible key levers of the desired denominations, and a key coupler comprising a crossbar of suflicient length to extend across the desired number of key levers and having a depending longitudinal lip adapted to engage the key levers, said lip being chamfered along its lower portion so that a previously depressed latched key may be released to normal position by partial depression of a second key to engageable position with said lip.

7. In a cash register, a plurality of depressible key levers of the desired denominations, and a key couplercomprising a cross bar of sufficient length to extend across the desired number of key levers and having a depending longitudinal lip adapted to engage the key levers, said lip being chamfered along its lower'front portion so that a previously depressed latched key may be released to normal position by partial depression of a second key to engageable position with said lip prior to coupling of said second key to said lip.

8. In a key-operated cash register, a plurality of depressible keys adapted to be partially depressed to pre-set position and fully depressed to operate said cash register, pendant interlocks for each denomination of keys constructed and arranged to permit limited partial depression and prevent full depression of a plurality of keys in the same denomination, and a key coupler comprising a cross-bar of sufficient length to extend ac '05s the desired number of key levers having a depending longitudinal lip adapted to engage the key levers, said lip being chamfered along its lower portion so that the previously depressed latched key of a denomination may be released to normal position by partial depression of a second key to engageable position with the lip portion prior to coupling of said second key.

9. In a key-operated cash register, a plurality of depressible keys adapted to be partially depressed to pre-set position and fully depressed to operate said cash register, pendant interlocks for each denomination of keys constructed and arranged .to permit limited partial depression and prevent full depression of a plurality of keys in the same denomination, and a key coupler comprising a cross-bar of sufllcient length to extend across the desired number of key levers, having a depending longitudinal lip adapted to engage the key levers, said lip being chamiered along its lower front portion so that the previously depressed latched key of a denomination may be released to normal position by partial depression of a second key to engageable position with the lip portion prior to coupling of said second key.

10. In a key-operated cash register, a plurality of depressible key levers of the desired denominations adapted to be partially depressed to preset position and fully depressed to operate said cash register, pendant interlocks constructed and arranged to permit limited partial depression and preventing full depression of a plurality of keys in the same denomination, and a single unitary key coupler comprising a crossbar of sufficient length to extend across the desired number of key levers, a pre-set key for moving said coupler from inoperative position to operative pro-set position in the path of movement of said key levers, said coupler having a depending longitudinal lip on the key coupler adapted to engage the key levers, said lip being chamfered along its lower front portion so that a previously depressed latched key may be released to normal position by partial depression of a second'key to engageable position with the lip portion prior to coupling of said second key.

11. In a key-operated cash register, a plurality of depressible key levers of the desired denominations, a key coupler comprising a crossbar of sufllcient length to extend across the desired number of key levers, a pre-set key for moving said coupler from inoperative position to operative pre-set position in the path of movement of said keys, said coupler having a depending longitudinal lip on the key coupler adapted to engage the key levers, said lip being chamfered along its lower front portion so that a previously depressedand coupled key of one denomination may be released to normal position by partial depression or a second key to engageable position with the lip portion prior to coupling of said second key to said key coupler.

WALTER J. PASINSKI. 

